Video about the TSFS and NLS (Produced by SFAA in the year 2011/12)

Details and Enquiries

For details of the NLS, please visit the SFAA homepage at : http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/eng/schemes/nls.htm.

For enquiries (e.g. check progress of your application), you may wish to contact the SFAA:

Address : Room 1204, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road,

                Kowloon (near Shamshuipo MTR station)

Office hours : Mon - Fri   8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.; except public holidays

24-hour automated enquiry hotline : 2802 2345

NLS enquiry number during office hours : 2150 6222

NLS fax number : 3101 1908

E-mail address : wg@sfaa.gov.hk

Maximum Level of financial assistance under the NLS

(1)

Students who receive financial assistance under the TSFS may be entitled to loan(s) under the NLS up to the difference between the maximum financial assistance under the TSFS and the amount of financial assistance they may receive under the TSFS, subject to the NLS loan maximum (equivalent to the tuition fees payable) not being exceeded.

Students who fail to obtain assistance under the TSFS or have not applied for assistance under the TSFS may apply for the NLS loan(s) up to the maximum amount of their tuition fees payable.

Current Interest Rate

Please refer to "What's New" on the Government's webpage for the prevailing NLS interest rate.

2011/12 PolyU Programmes under the NLS

All the full-time UGC-funded PolyU Programmes covered under the NLS 2011/12 are stated on the Course Coding Sheet. Applicant should check his/her course information stated on it for completion of Part B (Page 1) of the application form.

2011/12 Documents and Forms

All the following documents and forms related to the NLS are downloadable at http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/eng/public/index.htm#nls.

Guidance Notes [NLS 111B(2011)]

Applicant must read the Guidance Notes carefully before completing the application form.

SFAA's Course Coding Sheet

Applicant should check his/her course information stated on the 2011/12 Course Coding Sheet for completion of Part B of the application form.

Bank Code List

Applicant can check the bank code of the bank he/she plans for payment disbursement (if any) for completion of Part C (Box 222) of the application form.

Application Form [NLS 112B(2011)]

Applicant can download the application form from the SFAA's webpage or get it from the Student Affairs Office at Room ST314 (Mon - Fri  9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; except Public Holidays).

2011/12 Application Procedures

correctly complete the Application Form & Register Label;

(2)

pay the administrative fee of HK$260 by:

(i)

writing your name in BLOCK LETTERS in the box "Paid in by" of the pre-printed bank pay-in slip, then using it to settle the fee IN CASH and getting the “customer copy” at any HSBC branch; or

(ii)

transferring the fee to the SFAA’s account no. 044-171080-001 and getting the “transaction advice” through automatic teller machines (ATM) of the HSBC/Hang Seng Bank;

submit* the completed application form as well as the necessary documents (i) to (v) to SAO at Room ST314 (Submission time: Mon - Fri  9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; except Public Holidays);

(i)

Receipt of the paid administrative fee, i.e. customer copy/transaction advice (Please mark your name and HKID No. on the back of the receipt);

(ii)

copy of your HKID card;

(iii)

copy of your student ID card;

(iv)
 

any document which can certify your name, student no. and the course taken when submitting application (both course code and name should be shown), e.g. "Notice of Offer", "Notice for Re-enrolment", "Fee Payment Information", " Time Table" etc; and

(v)
 

(4)

(5)

receive written notification of NLS result from the SFAA within 3 weeks from the date of her receipt of your application;

(6)

return all the related loan documents to the SFAA by the deadline shown on the notification letter (Late submission to the SFAA may lead to late disbursement of the NLS loan);

before the loan disbursement date, receive an e-mail issued by the Finance Office of PolyU about your NLS transaction record updated on the Student Account Information System (SAS) at https://www29.polyu.edu.hk/fostudacc/.

Neither your application nor the approval for an NLS loan carries any implications that the payment due date of your tuition fee has been or will be deferred by PolyU. It is your own responsibility to ensure that you are able to settle your tuition fee on or before the due date.

If any of the above briefing sessions will be cancelled due to the reasons like typhoon/ Influenza, it will be announced on this webpage on or before the original scheduled date of briefing session. Please watch out for our notice nearer the time.

For enquiry, please call 3400 3134.

For local full-time UGC-funded students admitted in 2010/11 and before
(including research students admitted before March 2011)

The tuition fee for semester 1 of 2011/12 will be due on 18 August 2011 (Thur). If you want to borrow the NLS loan for direct settlement of tuition fee, please submit your NLS application between 26 April (Tue) and 1 June 2011 (Wed) and refer to the above procedures to ensure the payment can be made in mid-Aug 2011.  

If you submit a late NLS application or return the NLS loan documents to the SFAA* later than early July 2011, the NLS loan would be disbursed to PolyU in September or later. In other words, you need to settle the tuition fee by yourself. Upon receipt of the NLS loan, the Finance Office of PolyU will arrange refund to your designated bank account filled in the NLS application form.

If you have genuine financial difficulties and have to wait for the late disbursement of the NLS loan for direct settlement of tuition fee, you may apply for Deferred Payment.  Details for which will be updated at http://www.polyu.edu.hk/sao/fa/def in late July 2011.

If you just want to borrow the NLS loan for direct settlement of tuition fee for semester 2, which will be due on 4 January 2012, please submit application not later than 14 October 2011* and ensure that you can receive "Remittance Advice" issued by the SFAA in late December 2011 

Neither your application nor the approval for an NLS loan carries any implications that the payment due date of your tuition fee has been or will be deferred by PolyU. It is your own responsibility to ensure that you are able to settle your tuition fee on or before the due date.

For new local full-time UGC-funded research students

Normally, you are required to pay the annual registration fee (tuition fee) in two instalments (due on 30 June and 30 December). If you want to apply for the Non-means-tested Loan Scheme (NLS), please contact us at 2766 5419 or 3400 3762.